


Solace

by heffermonkey



Series: One Million Words Collection [29]
Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Community: 1_million_words, Companions, F/F, Female Friendship, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gen, pre-established, solace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 14:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heffermonkey/pseuds/heffermonkey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the vast expanse of the city, Vala and Elizabeth find solace with one another.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Solace

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the weekend challenge 'Hit Me' @ 1_million_words in which I was given some pairings to write about. Can be read as pre-relationship or simply friendship.

“Vala?”

Vala gave a soft sigh before turning, seeing Elizabeth walking up behind her.

“I'm sorry, I'm not interrupting am I?” Elizabeth asked. She was smiling, but there was tension in her face, as if she'd been seeking solace of her own when she'd happened upon her.

Vala didn't reply. She couldn't rightly send the woman on her way and to be honest she could do with the company. She'd spent so many years alone or in the company of people who feared and worshiped her. When she had dealt with people it had always been male companions, even now the majority of her friends were men. She hadn't realised, until she and Sam had struck up a friendship, what she missed out on female interactions. As much as she enjoyed visiting Atlantis in the company of Mitchell and Daniel, she missed Sam's presence. She always knew when to leave her be or when she was in need of quiet companionship, without asking questions or infringing on her space. Daniel understood her too, but he was too keen to question and dig deep into her psyche.

Elizabeth sat down beside her, they were on one of the piers that stretched out from the city. Atlantis towered over them from behind and beyond was nothing but blue yonder.

“You seem quiet,” Elizabeth said after a short silence. Vala hadn't had much chance to get to know the woman beyond meetings or passing each other in the Atlantean walkways. But she could read people well enough and Elizabeth was well liked, popular and respected.

“And you are worried,” Vala said, turning her head to give her a knowing smile.

Elizabeth smiled back, giving a small incline of her head. “Yes,” She admitted.

“Does it help?” Vala asked, leaning back on one hand, swinging her legs against the solid mass of the pier like a child on a too big a chair.

“Does what help?” Elizabeth asked in confusion.

“The worrying?” Vala reiterated.

“No. But I suppose neither does sitting alone thinking about your woes,” Elizabeth replied.

Vala laughed lightly and shrugged. “Very true. But now I have company, does that change things?”

“That depends on if you want to share what's on your mind.”

Vala stared out into the beyond again, silent and thoughtful. “I like this city. It's so vast and sprawling, like the universe. So many people inhabit it and yet you can find a place and feel completely alone.”

“Yes,” Elizabeth agreed. “Making it feel both like home and in some ways like the loneliest of places.”

Vala fell silent again, a soft breeze cooling her skin. She felt Elizabeth shift beside her, their shoulders brushing, a comforting touch. It was times like these she missed Sam, picking up the phone or arriving on her doorstep without invitation, knowing she'd always be welcome. Sam didn't ask questions or invade her privacy for answers, she seemed to understand she needed to feel quiet companionship when loneliness came knocking.

“I can't imagine it's easy, out here in on this adventure, but so far from home,” Vala thought aloud.

“Home is where the heart is,” Elizabeth pointed out, which made Vala's heart clench a little in pain. 

She'd been to so many places, through so much and although Earth was where she now lived and the people had welcomed her there, she was still unsettled, still felt the urge to pick up everything and run. Coming to Atlantis had helped ease the feeling, but soon she'd return back to Earth and what then?

“Then I carry my home inside of me,” Vala admitted quietly.

She was surprised when a hand settled on her shoulder, Elizabeth's arm curled gently around her, holding her, giving her comfort.

“That may be the saddest and sweetest thing I've heard in a long time,” Elizabeth said. There was a happy note in her voice and Vala couldn't help glancing her way, seeing the small smile on her lips. Vala smiled, perhaps she was feeling too sorry for herself. After all, there were worst things to live through than the odd moments of loneliness.

“Well I do try,” Vala said, her woe breaking into something lighter, her load lifting a little.

“Oh Vala,” Elizabeth sighed, looking up to the sky above, bright with stars. “Do you ever sit and wonder at how small and insignificant we are?”

“Insignificant?” Vala said, looking up herself. “No, we aren't ever that. We've discovered many ways to travel among the stars. We're explorers, we're travelers, we discover and make history. How is that insignificant?”

“Small then,” Elizabeth mused.

“Yes, I suppose we are,” Vala agreed on that point. “A tiny planet, in the company of millions of stars. But only a handful of them have life enough to stop, look up and appreciate the beauty of it all.”

“Yes, you're right,” Elizabeth smiled, turning to smile at her, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “Thank you for reminding me.”

“Reminding you of what?” Vala asked with a frown.

“How lucky I am to be here. Even if sometimes it's a lot to take and you just want to hide from the every day problems,” Elizabeth replied.

“Well you're welcome,” Vala said, frown relaxing as she smiled herself. “And thank you.”

“What for?” Elizabeth asked in return.

“The company,” Vala smiled.

~ fin ~


End file.
